Rookie Report Card: Marquise Brown and TJ Hockenson
Each week throughout the season, I’ll cover at least two rookies in the Rookie Report Card and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week. On top of reviewing my expectations for each player coming into the league and how well he’s lived up to those expectations at the NFL level to this point, I’ll grade the player in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2019 potential and long term upside.
The series kicks off with a look at a pair of big performances from week one by Marquise Brown and TJ Hockenson.
Marquise Brown, WR BAL
Week One Stats: Four receptions, 147 receiving yards, two touchdown receptions (five targets)
Throughout the pre-draft process and even after he was drafted by the Ravens as the first wide receiver off the board, there seemed to be a clear line in the sand with dynasty owners when it came to Marquise Brown. There were those who loved his blazing speed, separation skills and run after the catch ability – making comparisons between him and DeSean Jackson or Tyreek Hill. Meanwhile, there were also those that were concerned he may not be able to hold up in the NFL due to his slight frame (5’9”, 170 pounds) or if he’d ever develop into anything more than a speedster with the potential to become a deep threat – much like John Ross (although Ross did everything he could to disprove his “bust” label in week one as well.)
Personally, I leaned towards the latter. The combination of Brown’s small stature, the unlikeliness that he’d ever develop into a player that could make contested catches and landing in a run first offense with an unproven deep ball quarterback in Lamar Jackson were simply too many red flags for me to ignore.
Through one week of his career, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Jackson looked like an elite passer against the Dolphins, regularly hitting receivers in stride both in the short to intermediate range as well as deep down field and Brown was the main beneficiary. On his 47-yard slant for a touchdown in the first quarter he lined up in the slot, got off the ball quickly forcing the corner to turn his hips to the outside and shot to the middle of the field before catching the pass and outracing everybody to the end zone. He displayed quickness in small space and dazzling long speed.
Later he showed more of that speed after a slight hesitation on a stop-and-go route that got the coverage to bite. Brown immediately hit full speed again on the way to an 83-yard over the shoulder touchdown grab.
Watching the game, it felt as if Brown was everywhere, making electrifying plays throughout the game. His only missed opportunity came late in the second quarter when Jackson barely overthrew him deep down the right sideline. Had they connected there, it almost assuredly would have been a third touchdown, this one from 74-yards out. Despite the feeling of Brown being all over the field however, he played just 14 snaps and ran just eight routes in the entire contest.
All things told, Brown couldn’t have had a more impressive debut and did it on limited snaps and touches. While his dynasty owners are salivating over his potential if he were to get on the field full time, we should all keep in mind that he feasted on a truly awful defense and although another dreadful D is next up in the Cardinals, things are sure to get tougher down the road. Like many, I still feel leery of him holding up to a full workload over an entire NFL season.
Even with the light usage, it feels to me that we probably saw Brown’s best game as a rookie on Sunday. Personally, I’d use it as an opportunity to sell high if I could get somebody to pay up for the pint-sized WR1 on a run first offense because he appears to be such a high ceiling, low floor WR3. With that said however, I can’t say I blame anybody for holding out just in case he’s the next Tyreek.
TJ Hockenson, TE DET
Week One Stats: Six receptions, 131 receiving yards, one touchdown reception (nine targets)
As a fan of Big Ten football, I was a fan of both Iowa tight ends in the 2019 NFL Draft but especially high on Hockenson despite him being pegged as the blocker of the two and Noah Fant being considered the more athletic, move tight end prospect.
What a load of you know what! They’re both incredible prospects!
Hockenson is one of the more athletic tight end prospects to come out in years. He’s quick off the line of scrimmage, knows how to set up defenders at the top of his routes to create separation, and has an excellent catch radius and incredible hands to make even the most difficult grabs look routine on top of being an excellent blocker. He was one of my favorite prospects in the draft and although I didn’t love seeing him land in Detroit – where Eric Ebron could never make a name for himself – I still saw him as a top-ten prospect in dynasty rookie drafts.
After a training camp and pre-season full of whispers and tweets from beat writers and those around the Lions saying Hockenson was off to a fast start and ready for a big role as a rookie, he exploded onto the scene with a six catch, 131 yard effort that included a nice 23-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone.
That wasn’t even his nicest catch of the day, however.
Hockenson’s afternoon was full of speed, nice breaks at the top of his route and good run after the catch ability. Too fast for a linebacker to stay with and too big for most defensive backs to body up, he showed exactly why he was the eighth overall pick in the draft.
Cardinals Linebacker Jordan Hicks was no match for him on a ten-yard out route that turned into a 28-yard catch and run. Arizona also tried linebacker Joe Walker on the rookie but he was far too fast, burning him across the middle for a 39-yard gain. The Cardinals went as far as putting cornerback Chris Jones on him as well, but Hockenson used his size to lean into the DB at the top of his crossing route to create separation before hauling in a 24-yarder that he adjusted to perfectly despite being thrown behind him.
It’s clear already that the Lions’ coaching staff sees Hockenson as a big part of their plan. He was on the field for 60 of Detroit’s 84 snaps (71.4%) and was the recipient nine targets in the matchup. Despite being a rookie tight end – who we all know rarely make an impact – he should already be seen as a weekly fringe TE1 with the upside to someday be the highest valued player in dynasty at the position. If I had him, I’d have to be blown away with an offer to let him go.
- League Tycoon: Dynasty Salary Cap Fantasy Football - December 15, 2023
- Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two - March 22, 2023
- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Offensive Player Dynasty Review - March 10, 2023
